For most rideshare passengers, a “five-star” experience usually means a clean backseat, perhaps a phone charger and a complimentary bottle of water.
But inside Bekir Ozel’s car, the “extras” are a little more electric.
Forget the quiet small talk, passengers are instead being greeted with a tablet to choose their favourite song. They are then presented with three surprises: an LED light show, a glowing microphone and light up glasses, transforming their ride into a mobile karaoke lounge.
“Everyone tells me, ‘You made my day!’” Ozel says. “My passengers are happy and I’m happy.”
Social media videos of his passengers belting out tunes as they cruise through the streets of Toronto have been viewed millions of times.
The theatrical flair comes from a man who is no stranger to the spotlight, himself. Back in his birth country of Turkiye, Ozel was a journalist and an actor.
He moved to Canada with his wife and three daughters in search of a better future, almost a decade ago.
Arriving with no English-speaking skills, Ozel’s career options were initially limited.
He spent years working in construction and doing renovations, but the physical toll eventually became too much to bear.
Suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, Ozel’s body could no longer handle the heavy labour. He pivoted to pizza delivery, before switching to rideshare driving last year.
“The job was boring,” Ozel recounted.
It all changed when one of his daughters gifted him a karaoke microphone. He decided to test the waters to see if passengers might enjoy a little spontaneous singing, and many jumped right in.
The philosophy of ‘today’
Ozel, who uses the social media handle The Tripman, has installed a backward facing dash cam to capture the magic of karaoke.
The videos show passengers from all walks of life belting out tunes alongside Ozel, who is always quick with a joke.
For him though it’s more than just entertainment. After a major health scare two years ago that nearly took his life, he says his mission is about sharing positivity. His philosophy centres on being loving, patient and thankful.
“We have three days. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow,” Ozel says. “Yesterday is gone. It’s not going to come back. Tomorrow is coming or not coming… God knows. We have just today. This moment.”
The price of fame
Getting Ozel as a driver is purely the luck of the draw.
“All of my videos [are of] spontaneous passengers,” he says. “No one can book me.”
While the vibes are high, Ozel is candid about the realities of the gig economy. He currently drives six days a week, pulling 10-hour shifts to make ends meet.
Despite having a million followers on Instagram, and hundreds of thousands on TikTok, the financial return is slim.
Ozel notes that TikTok yields only about $200 a month, and Instagram pays nothing directly for his reach.
In fact, his rising internet fame has had an unexpected side effect on his income: passengers are tipping less.
“Because they’re thinking ‘he’s famous,’ how can we give him a five-dollar or two-dollar tip?” Ozel says. “But a tip is important to us.”
Worldwide Recognition
Eventually he hopes to secure a sponsor, but for now, the reach of his videos makes him happy.
During a recent trip to Belgium and Italy, he was recognized by fans on the street. Whether he secures a sponsorship or not, Ozel says his engine runs on positivity.
“Sometimes we are singing together. Sometimes we are talking together,” he says. “I’m doing this not for money, but to change everybody’s life.”